The Lasker Pool and Rink, located in the north part of Central Park at 110th Street & Lenox Avenue, is set for renovation. The $150 million pledged towards the upgrade of the facilities is backed by the City of New York and The Central Park Conservancy. The Lasker Pool and Rink—named for Loula Davis Lasker, a philanthropist and social worker—was built in 1966 and has offered free access to skating and swimming throughout the year.
The Lasker Pool and Rink renovation is set to begin in Fall 2020, and not only will it upgrade the rink and pool, but it will also make the Harlem Meer more accessible for park visitors. This is a very exciting development for everyone who loves to swim in the summer and skate in the winter!
“The plan will bring the area in line with the original vision of the park” says New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The city is committing $50 million to the renovation and the Conservancy is committing the remaining $100 million.” de Blasio also stated, “We’re putting $50 million toward the re-envisioning of Lasker Pool, because parkgoers and Harlem residents deserve world-class amenities and a park landscape that flows the way Olmsted intended it to.”
The Lasker Pool and Rink Renovation Project will be a “crowning effort” of the Central Park Conservancy’s 30-year plan to revitalize the North part of Central Park. “This momentous project will be the culmination of the Conservancy’s decades-long restoration of the north end of the Park,” Elizabeth Smith, president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said in a statement. To begin the renovation project, there will be a design process and community visioning sessions, park officials said. A completion date for the project has not been set.
